Obama Fans Turn Out at Rally for Democrats in Cleveland

Renee Stapleton (left) of South Euclid says Democrats need to re-engage with young people if they want to be more successful than in 2016. Lena Leland, a 16-year-old from Beachwood, says young people are already energized heading into this fall.

KABIR BHATIA
/ WKSU

Former President Barack Obama was on Cleveland’s east side yesterday for a rally in support of the state’s Democratic ticket.

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Obama stumps for Cordray

Although this was a campaign appearance for Richard Cordray -- who served in the Obama administration as head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau – the former president spent much of the speech discussing the current U.S. political climate. He touched on several issues – the economy, education, and Medicaid expansion – saying they transcend party lines.

“People of both parties -- and people who don’t have a party affiliation – should be concerned with our current course. Should be concerned about the basic institutions of our Democracy.”

Obama also spoke of his long history with Cordray.

“He was the first Attorney General in the country to go after the reckless mortgage lenders. The irresponsible actors on Wall Street. And he delivered. And because he was tough, and fair, and thoughtful, and did the work, I asked Rich to become America’s first-ever consumer watchdog.”

President Obama spoke for just under an hour, at one point invoking memories of his presidential campaigns.

“When you take that leap of faith and just make a little bit of effort: change happens. Good things happen. Hope happens.”

Other candidates appearing at the rally included Kathleen Clyde, running for Secretary of State, and Sen. Sherrod Brown.

The event comes as Ohio’s Democrats are trying to re-engage voters following big Republican wins in the state in 2016.

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The same day that Republican Mike DeWine aired his first ad of this fall’s governor’s race, a group of Democratic governors launched their ad against him.

Richard Cordray started his TV ad campaign earlier this month. But this commercial is from the Democratic Governors Association, and it goes after ads from the group’s Republican counterpart.

“Mike DeWine’s special interest allies are making false attacks on Rich Cordray. Because Rich Cordray has spent his life taking on the big banks and drug companies — the very companies funding DeWine,” the ad says.

President Barack Obama came to Cleveland today to campaign for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

The president laid out the arguments for Clinton during a rally at Burke Lakefront Airport. He focused on her experience and knowledge compared to what he described as Republican nominee Donald Trump’s cynical attacks on democracy during this campaign.